Until recent times, project scheduling has been dominated by three sets of tools: Gantt charts, milestone charts, and PERT/CPM networks. The last set of tools -- PERT/CPM networks -- was developed in the 1950s, so project scheduling has been undertaken using techniques developed decades ago. Then in the late 1990s, Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt provided a jolt to project scheduling by introducing his concept of critical chain thinking. He demonstrated that the psychology of scheduling was as important as the technical aspects of scheduling.

In Critical Chain Scheduling, Dr. J. Davidson Frame demonstrates how the critical chain perspective represents a major advance in project scheduling. He delves into the psychological dimension of estimating task durations and shows how even the best attempts at estimation often go awry. He also provides a step-by-step guide on how to build a critical chain schedule.

CD-ROM Contents

This CD contains a 50-minute long video playable on Windows Media Player that covers:

• The deficiencies of traditional approaches to scheduling
• Goldratt's Theory of Constants and the role of bottlenecks in scheduling
• Parkinson's Law and the psychological dimension of scheduling
• The right and wrong way to use project schedule buffers
• The evils of multitasking
• Demo: Building a critical chain schedule
• The value of critical chain scheduling

J. Davidson Frame

Dr. Frame is Academic Dean of UMT, and one of the world's leading authorities on project management. He has written a number of books on risk management and technology management including: Managing Projects in Organizations, The New Project Management, Project Management Competence, Managing Risk in Organizations, and Project Finance: Tools and Techniques. Dr. Frame was Professor of Management Science at the George Washington University, where he served on the faculty from 1979-1998. In 1990-1996, he headed the certification program for the Project Management Institute (PMI). In 1997-1998, he was PMI's Director of Education Services. In 1999-2002, he served on PMI's Board of Directors.

How to Obtain this CD-ROM

There are two ways to obtain this CD-ROM:

1. Purchase a copy for only $14.95 at UMT's secure Online Payment page.

2. Register for UMT's self-paced, online course Critical Chain Project Management. In addition to the CD-ROM, you will receive the following:

• Course textbook: Critical Chain and Time-boxed Scheduling, by Eliyahu Goldratt
• Course modules
• Think and Review sections for each module
• Answers to the Think and Review sections
• Final exam
• Certificate of Completion.

If you successfully complete the course, you are eligible to earn 15 Professional Development Units (PDUs) from the Project Management Institute.